Latest update February 10th, 2025 7:48 AM
Q/F Police Commissioner B/Day Inter-Division T20 cricketLeitch, Browne’s century feature in 118-run stand as ‘A’ beat ‘B’PG upset HQ book other semi-final spot
Kelvin Leitch clips National fast bowler Raun Johnson for a dismissive boundary during 34-ball 80 at Eve Leary yesterday. (Sean Devers photos)
By Sean Devers
Yesterday, on a flat track and rough and bone dry Eve Leary outfield, Kelvin Leitch was as fiery as the mid-day sun as latched onto ‘B’ Division’s innocuous bowling attack like a leech in a destructive exhibition to power ‘A’ Division into Tuesday’s Semi-finals of the Commissioner of Police Birth Anniversary Inter-Division and Branches T20 cricket Tournament, while defending Champions President’s Guards (PH) beat Head Quarter (HQ) to a book the Semi-final spot.
In the morning game, an aggressive 60 from Kaveem Mentore, who smashed eight boundaries including four sixes, helped the Berbicians to what seemed a daunting 186-6.
Mentore shared in a 74-run fourth wicket stand with left-hander Troy Drakes (18) before Kord Griffith (13*) and Collis Cort put together 24 for the seventh wicket.
Openers Kedar Amsterdam (19) and Philbert Wilburg (12) have put ‘B’ Division on course for a big total, while National fast bowler Raun Johnson followed up his 53 in his last innings with 16 and at the half way stage the ‘B’ Division camp, with
Kameer Mentore goes over cover during his entertaining 60 to take ‘B’ Division to what seemed a winning total at the half way stage.
Johnson spearheading their attack, were already planning for Tuesday’s semis.
Off-spinner Leitch took 2-30, while Jason Heyliger had 2-35 for ‘A’ Division who decimated the hapless bowlers in a murderous assault which saw them achieve victory 31 balls to spare as ‘A’ Division sprinted to 187-1 in 14.1 overs.
Leitch hit eight fours and seven sixes in a destructive 80 from just 36 balls and added 118 with Rawle Browne, who ended unbeaten on 46 with three fours and two sixes. Browne and Kelis Christian, who finished not out on 36 from just nine balls with two fours and two sixes, added 79 in the last four overs.
Such was the brutality of Leitch’s power-hitting that he had drivers on the road rushing to move their vehicles to safety as he unleashed an array of shots including a ‘Dilscoop’ off ‘B’ Division Skipper Michael Newland, which raced to the fine leg boundary for four.
Browne, in his best innings in recent times, played the classy shots and effortlessly stroked Newland back over his head for four to post to
Rawle Browne hits ‘B’ Division skipper Michael Newland for six yesterday at Eve Leary.
50 in the seventh over, while Leitch charged Raul James and clobbered him for six to reach his 50 in the 10 over.
Leitch hit Daryl Thompson to long-off and just out of reach of the Johnson, the tallest man on the field for six to post the 100 in the 11th over before Leitch was run out by a direct hit from veteran Newland off his own bowling
at 118-1 in the 12th over.
Christian joined Browne, who played the supporting role in the carnage as Christian sliced a beamer to third man for four and hit the ‘Free-Hit’ from the expensive Johnson into the pavilion, packed with screaming ‘A’Division supporters. Mentore ended the contest with a wide in an over which cost 20.
When ‘B’ Division batted, off-spinner Leitch broke the opening stand when he had Wilburg caught behind at 36-1 before Amsterdam was bowled by Darson LaRose at 47-2.
Leitch, who had a wonderful day at the office, soon bowled Haslim George (2) at 57 but Mentore and Drakes joined forces to orchestrate ‘Operation rebuild’ and carried the score to 135 before Mentore was bowled by Patrick Morris.
Drakes and Raun Johnson (16), who made 53 in his last innings, took the score to 162 before off-spinner Jason Heyliger removed them both to leave the Berbicians on 162-6 before Griffith and Cort saw them to what seemed to be a winning total. But Leitch, Browne and Christian had others plans and the rest is now history.
In the afternoon game, PG beat HQ by 34 runs after making 221-7 with Kareem Naughton hitting three fours and eight sixes in 63, whil
Kevin Boodie scored a fifty in a losing cause yesterday.
e Kemp Mayers (31) and Zane London (30) offered support as Kevin Allicock (2-25) was the most successful bowler for HQ, who were bowled out for 187 off 19.3 overs.
Kevon Boodie reached the boundary eight times and cleared it thrice, while Munilall Persaud (28 1) and skipper Troy Benn (27) got starts in a losing effort as Andrew Lyght, one of only two batsmen with centuries in the tournament, fell for two as Paul Tyndall (2-32), Nicolai Reddy (2-25) and Jermaine Semple (2-29) bowled their team into the semis.
The semis are set for Tuesday when ‘F’ will play ‘A’ and ‘D’ will battle PG who will hope to qualify for their third title in the six-year history of the T20 Format. TSU won the inaugural tournament while FAPC and HQ are the other titles holders.
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